NHL expansion should go to Quebec first: Cherry

Hockey Night In Canada's Don Cherry makes his way to centre stage during the Hockey Day In Canada Celebration of Hockey Banquet on February 8, 2013 at the Memorial Centre in Peterborough. (Clifford Skarstedt/Peterborough Examiner/QMI Agency)

“Quebec Nordiques all the way,” Grapes said Wednesday night. “It’s a no-brainer. They have an arena half built, the greatest fans and so much tradition.”

So much for the ridiculous claim Cherry is anti-French.

Quite the opposite. He played in the minors in la belle province and some of his most famous games as a coach with the Boston Bruins were in Quebec.

As far as the Maple Leafs getting a cross-town rival as part of a four-team expansion, Cherry is skeptical.

“I don’t think they would expand by four at once. That’s a lot,” he said. “As for a second team here, sure it would be great and would work. I also think it would be terrific in Hamilton. The problem is, either way it would not hurt the Leafs but hurt Buffalo.”

Cherry said he’s not holding his breath that any of this is imminent.

“I don’t know where this came from but I will tell you the hockey I am looking forward to in the area is the GTHL,” he said. “There is no need to wait for a second team.”